Request for Information- L 3-80 Leadership Training Course Instruction

Synopsis: This Request for Information (RFI) is for market research and planning purposes only. It is not a request for Proposals/Quotes or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any services. Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responses will be treated as information only, used to assist the government in determining how it should proceed as a result of this notice. Contracting Office Address: National Interagency Fire Center U.S. Forest Service Contracting Owyhee Bld- MS 1100 3833 S. Development Way Boise, ID 83705 Primary Point of Contact: Shannon Spies sspies@fs.fed.us Secondary Point of Contact: Contracting Specialist Program Manager, Wildland Firefighter Apprenticeship Program Ryan Myers rdmyers@fs.fed.us Description: The purpose of this announcement is to obtain market research regarding contractors who are interested and capable of providing L-380 Fireline Leadership Training to support the Wildland Fire Apprenticeship Program (WFAP). Performance measures which allow the training to be evaluated are included in the development requirement. It is anticipated that a solicitation for these requirements will be issued in the near future after potential sources have been identified. L-380 training experience should provide junior leaders with a set of tools and techniques to build and maintain cohesive crews or teams. This training experience should be designed to make an emotional and lasting impact. Essential guiding principles for achieving this impact include: enhancing the students' understanding of the human dimension when leading others in dynamic work environments; utilizing experiential training techniques that will engage students in ways that challenge them to perform under realistic and high-stress situations; and motivating students to examine their role as a leader and their strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Period of Performance: Courses will typically take place in late October through November. There is a break in December, then courses resume in late January and typically run through April. The minimum course length 32 hours. Class Size: Class (academy) size ranges from 40-65 students. Four (4) to eight (8) academies will be held per contract period, and occasionally will be held simultaneously (two concurrent academies). Student/Instructor Ratio: In order to conduct effective exercises and simulations, cadres should be structured to provide low student to instructor ratios (8 students per instructor or greater). Work Requirements: The following duties are those contemplated by the personnel identified below: 1. Curriculum Development: This support includes assistance in the development of a curriculum that will be utilized to execute efforts under this contract. These support services include assisting the US Forest Service Wildland Firefighter Apprenticeship Program (WFAP) office in developing appropriate curriculum for its use. Curriculum development includes, but is not limited to, needs analysis, curriculum design, testing methods, and continuing education module identification and/or development. Curriculum content should at a minimum address the following items: - NWCG guide/design criteria for L-380 for the minimum requirements for this leadership training can be located at: http://www.fireleadership.gov/courses/L_380/L380_instructional_design.html - Prior to being considered for this L-380 contract NWCG must review and approve course materials and curriculum. 2. Course Delivery: Will meet the minimum curriculum requirements provided by the NWCG guide/design criteria. The course shall be developed around a "primarily classroom-based" delivery that allows for outdoor simulations and other types of field leadership assessments. 3. Equipment and Consumables: The Government will provide some logistical support to include transportation to and from the field, an off-site meeting location for briefing/debriefing if needed, misc. office supplies, and copies of required books, workbooks and handouts. Personnel Technical Requirements and Experience Requirements: The L-380 Fireline Leadership, L-381 Incident Leadership, and L-480 Organizational Leadership in the Wildland Fire Service are training courses which do not have a standard NWCG course package available for lead instructors. Therefore, the U.S. Forest Service will use the following process to evaluate and approve providers, lead instructors, and the course packages which they develop to meet the intent and the criteria for these courses as established by the NWCG Leadership Subcommittee. The course descriptions and design criteria are available at: http://www.fireleadership.gov/courses/courses.html. (FSFAQG Chapter 3) The combined cadre must have career backgrounds and expert level knowledge in principle-centered leadership, emergency incident operations, human factors and decision-making. All instructors must be facilitative instructor qualified, and well prepared in order to execute simulations and lead classroom activities in order to achieve the learning objectives outlined in this course design criteria. Refer to the NWCG instructor levels and requirements in the Field Managers Course Guide attached to this RFI. Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program Components -Include the following program components that can be found at www.fireleadership.gov. o Select a leadership case study book from the Professional Reading Program and require it as a pre-work reading assignment. Use examples from the reading assignment to reinforce content presented in the classroom. o Use the Values and Principles model and the Leading in the Wildland Fire Service publication as the foundation for course content regarding the definition of leadership and description of desired leadership behaviors. o Reference the following Leadership Toolbox items: ? Briefing and Intent Guide ? Standard Operating Procedures Workbook ? After Action Review Guide ? Crew Cohesion Assessment ? Self-development Plan Certified by NWCG and Leadership Subcommittee as an L-380 lead instructor by October 1, 2016. Company Information Requested: Contractors who respond to this Request for Information are requested to provide the following information in writing, to the Contracting Office address identified above. 1. Company Name and DUNS Number 2. Company Mailing Address 3. Point of Contact (One person's name, telephone number and email address). 4. Company Size Standard (Large/Small using NAICS code identified above). 5. Type of Business (Hubzone, 8a, Veteran Owned, etc.) 6. Previous experience providing the work requirements listed above. 7. Sample syllabus for a 32 hour L-380 course 8. Ability to provide the adequate number of personnel with the experience and skill levels identified above. Provide a brief biography to include experience and qualifications for each person identified. 9. Provide a quote for delivery per course based on a 40-65 person classroom to exclude travel. Travel expenses will be directly reimbursed per the Federal Travel Regulations. This price quote is notional and nonbinding.